Trick And Treat
by StillSearchingForTheTruth
Summary: In a dense dark forest, a mansion stands alone, dilapidated and rumoured to be infested with monsters. Young Madison Williams takes a harmless dare from her brother and enters the mansion along with Arthur Kirkland, only to realised the dare wasn't as harmless as they all thought it was... (ON HIATUS TEMPORARILY)
1. Beginning

Halloween night. All the little children in town loved this day. It would be the day they would go around knocking on their neighbours' doors, hoping that they would get some treats in exchange for peace. It was the day children spent hours planning their costumes for, hoping to have the best costume in town to brag to their friends.

Madison Williams was no exception. This year she dressed up as a fairy-princess. Her silky blonde hair flowed down to her shoulders; a temporary perm giving her hair ends a curl. Resting on top of her head was a tiara her mother had made. The various violet gems glued to it glimmered in the light, attracting everyone's attention. She wore a white dress with sequins studded all over it. Her sleeves were puffed up. A pair of fairy wings was sewed on the back of her dress, dusted generously with sparkles.

She ran down the stairs, careful not the tumble over. A wide grin was gracing her face. Her lavender eyes that were framed by spectacles were sparkling with pure joy and excitement. In her hand she clutched a bag that had her name sewed on it with a lavender thread that was the same colour as her eyes.

Her mother heard her come down the stairs and walked out of the kitchen to greet her fairy princess. She had chin-length blonde like Madison, but her eyes were electric blue. A smile tugged her lips at the sight of Madison. She squatted in front of her shorter daughter and rubbed the latter's cheek with her thumb.

"My beautiful Princess Madison, where are you going to fly to today?" Mrs Williams asked.

"Off in search of candy!" young Madison chirped in her soft voice.

No sooner had she finished her sentence than a scream rang through the house. A loud audible thud was heard, followed by heavy footsteps storming towards the living room. Madison's smile faltered, not wanting to see the source of the din.

"THE HERO IS HERE! SURRENDER ALL YOUR CANDY NOW!" yelled a lean boy with sandy hair as he made his entrance. He was dressed as Superman, the trademark 'S' emblazoned on his skin-hugging long-sleeved shirt. A wide smile was etched on his chubby face and cerulean eyes were burning with excitement. He had a cowlick* poking out of his otherwise neat mop hair.

Madison yelped as he tackled her, and the boy responded with his— to Madison— obnoxious laugh. The Canadian girl rolled her eyes.

"Alfred, be nicer to your sister!" Mrs Williams chided gently. The boy, identified as Alfred, was Madison's adoptive brother. He was her elder brother by two years. He gave a pout and stifled an apology to Madison.

"Now for my Hero and my Princess, here is some candy to start off your adventure. Be back by 9 or I won't let you go trick-and-treating next year!" reminded Mrs Williams as she stuffed some sweets and chocolate wafers into her two children's bags. Madison thanked her softly while Alfred simply ran out of the door, his bold red cape billowing behind him.

Madison sighed and planted a loving kiss on her mother's cheek, biding her farewell before running off to join Alfred.

Mrs Williams watched as the two ran off along with a few other kids from town, smiling sweetly to herself. Halloween was always a fun occasion for her, just like it was for the kids. The peculiar costume ideas they came up with were always fun to materialise, letting her experiment with a needle and thread.

However, who was to know that this night was not going to be another ordinary Halloween Night?

* * *

**A/N:**

**EDIT 20/12/12 — I AM SORRY TO ALL OF YOU. I ONLY JUST REALISED THAT I USED MADELINE IN THIS PROLOGUE. I AM SO SORRY. And now I don't remember what I originally wrote for the first version of this :D**

**Sorry for the length of this! I'm doing my best to ensure the other chapters exceed a thousand words.**

**...and now I need to remind everyone that the official name I am using is Madison. ^^**

**Thank you for reading/reviewing/following/favouriting this fanfiction! Flames shall warm the tea...? Nah flames can be extremely constructive so I appreciate the thought of people bothering to scrutinise for my mistakes and pointing them out. Feel free to do so! :D**

**~SSFTT~**

**EDIT 31/12/12: Thank you to Buddy Jason for proofreading this and pointing out my mistake at the beginning!**


	2. Dare

"Alfred! Wait for me!" called Madeline as she attempted running after her agile brother, carrying her oversized bag and keeping her tiara in place all at the same time. The latter simply continued charging forward, his bold red cape billowing in the Autumn wind.

When she had finally caught up with him, he was already bragging to their friends who attended their annual Halloween rendezvous. Breathless, she dragged her feet to stand next to Arthur Kirkland, the Briton who lived down the street. Sweat glistened on her forehead and her shoulders fell and rose rapidly.

Arthur was Alfred's classmate and he was eight, just like the American. This year, he was dressed as an angel. A halo seemed to defy gravity and hover above Arthur's blond mop of hair which was a permanent bed head. However, if you took a closer look, there was a thin wire attached to it. His unnaturally bushy eyebrows were furrowed, boredom and annoyance etched on his pale face. He wore a pristine white toga that had fluffy angel wings attached to it and sandals to complete the look.

Madeline gave him a light tap on his shoulder, earning a slight jump in surprise from the Briton. Upon finally noticing her arrival, a smile replaced Arthur's scowl. Madeline took his inability to sense her presence as soon as she arrived as nothing. After all, she always blended into the surroundings...

"Good evening Madeline. You look stunning by the way," Arthur complimented, his British accent prominent. A light blush hidden by the darkness of the night dusted the Canadian girl's cheeks. She returned the compliment shyly.

Upon hearing Arthur greet Madeline, the Hungarian girl beside him, Elizaveta, took notice of the Canadian's arrival. Elizaveta was wearing an oversized black hoodie that had black cat ears lazily stitched on the hood, which she was wearing. Her hazel brown hair that reached her chin was tied up in a ponytail, hidden by the hood. Her nose was painted black and each cheek had three black streaks on them, mimicking a cat's facial features. It was not an elaborate costume, but it was nonetheless commendable as the Hungarian had pieced it together herself.

Soon, the entire group finally took notice of her, ignoring Alfred, who pouted at his loss of attention. Trying to recover his 'losses', he decided to introduce a new game he had heard about.

"Hey guys! The Hero has an awesome game that we can all play!" Alfred hollered, finally getting the attention he wanted. Arthur's frown returned on his face and he raised an impressive eyebrow.

"What kind of game?" the Briton asked, trying to mask his interest with annoyance. Alfred beamed at the interest that Arthur failed to cover.

"Well, it's called Truth or Dare. We sit in a circle and spin a bottle. When the bottle stops, the person the bottle cap's pointing to has to choose whether they want to confess something, a truth, or carry out a dare," the American rushed through words, ecstatic at trying out this new game he had witnessed some High School students play the other day.

"Kesesese! Sounds like fun!" exclaimed Gilbert, the German boy from next door. the Albino had unnatural silver hair and ruby red eyes, his pale skin covered with plasters from petty fights and sports. Elizaveta nodded at Alfred's proposal in agreement. Arthur's arms were crossed in front of him, but he kept his peace. Madeline had a hunch something bad was going to happen, but like Arthur she kept her peace, knowing that her brother would just whine and get his way.

"All right let's play!" chirped Alfred, flailing an empty cola bottle that had materialised out of nowhere. They sat on the kerb, watching intently as the bottle spun on the gravel.

It stopped, pointing at Madeline. All eyes were on her. Alfred's eyes were sparkling and his lips were tilted upwards. Madeline did not want to know what was going through his mind.

"So Madeline, Truth or Dare?" smiled Alfred, making Madeline feel more uncomfortable than she already was with all the eyes on her.

"D-Dare," she blurted out without much contemplation, not wanting to make the rest wait. She immediately regretted her words upon seeing Alfred's grin grow into a smirk. She gulped nervously.

"Madeline, I dare you to go to that mansion in the woods."

The Canadian's blood turned to ice, her mouth ajar involuntarily. Arthur was equally flabbergasted, his face mirroring hers. Elizaveta's eyes widened. Gilbert smirked devilishly.

"Alfred, are you referri—"

"Yes. The one where Old Lopez breathed his last," interrupted Alfred, answering what the Briton did not want to hear. Cold sweat rolled down Madeline's face, her lavender eyes wide in horror. Alfred knew how much she feared urban legends, and yet he was going to put her through this.

"Go on, do you need an invitation?" jeered Gilbert, Alfred backing it up with teases. The Canadian's eyes were burning and she kept them wide open lest the tears fall. Arthur and Elizaveta both noticed her discomfort, but only the former spoke.

"ALFRED YOU GIT, DO YOU NOT FEEL ANY REMORSE FOR SCARING YOUR SISTER LIKE THIS?" retorted the Briton. Gilbert spoke next, Alfred's regret sinking in as he absorbed whatever Arthur had just shouted.

"Well, Madeline chose Dare, ja? So she has to honour her word."

"Gil-"

"Beilschmidt's right, sadly," Madeline cut into Elizaveta's protest, her voice coming out in a low hiss, sending a shiver down the said German's spine. She turned and made her way to the forest, until a hand grabbed her right one.

"I'm going with Madeline," declared Arthur. Madeline smiled. Arthur was definitely more mature than his age. Gilbert shrugged nonchalantly.

With that, the two headed to the forest.

* * *

The Briton and the Canadian stood in front of the gates of the mansion. The wind was cold, sending chills down their spines. Arthur was visibly trembling, the toga not providing much warmth. Madeline sat her bag on the ground and rummaged through it for her scarf, handing it to her companion. He thanked her silently.

The gates of the mansion were rusted and not locked, the gate on the right swinging slightly with audible creaks in the cold wind. The mansion itself was a shadow of it's past. What used to be it's white-washed facade was now streaked grey and black, stray plants covering it. The magnificant gargoyle statue Old Lopez was so proud of seemed to be staring into The two children's souls, daring them to take another step in. The cold wind seemed to be whispering these dares too.

"We can go back if you want to," suggested Arthur. He too was frightened by the idea of entering the mansion, but of course he would never admit it.

Madeline shook her head and bravely pushed the gate open, the creaking of the gate piercing through the blanket of silence like a sharp spear. She stepped into the mansion grounds and suddenly every step she took was taken with much more caution. Arthur trailed closely behind, eyes darting everywhere as fear rose in him.

Soon they stood in front of the door. It faded into the night, being black. The only thing proving it was actually there was the bronze-coloured door knob, reflecting the dim light.

As Madeline reached out for it, Arthur had a splitting headache. He clutched his head, dropping to his knees with an audible thud. He clamped his eyes shut as vague images flooded him. They were short and horrible, most of it enhanced by deafening and shrill shrieks. The flood of images ended with the splatter of blood and two bright red eyes staring into him.

And with that he blacked out.

Madeline heard Arthur fall to the ground and his fetal position, he whimpered. Sweat glimmered on his forehead, sticking his blonde bangs onto his face, he was like that for five whole minutes, and all Madeline could do was hold him tight and beckon him to snap out of it.

Her attempts proved fruitless as he slumped to the ground, unconsious, but alive, thankfully. She shook him gently in an attempt to wake him from his sleep but he remained unconsious.

While debating with herself in the silence of the night, a laughter similar to the tinkling of bells rang cheerfully through the air, but Madeline would sense an evil aura around it.

Before she could think, consiousness abandoned her as all faded to darkness.

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys liked this! I'm sorry it's a late update, but it's twice as long as the Prologue. Oh and FYI, I almost put England as the one suggesting the game because he saw Scotland playing it with his friends, but I decided against it.

Did I make the teasing sound too mature? Please let me know!

Erm...reviewers get a pleasant surprise PMed to them?

Thank you for reading! Ｏ（≧∇≦）Ｏ

~SSFTT


	3. Magic

Madeline woke up feeling extremely perplex indeed.

Instead of the normal lilac coloured walls, she woke up to a room with golden wall paper lining the walls. Instead of her normal lilac bed sheets, she was sprawled upon scarlet ones on a plush bed. Her head was pounding. She looked down at her clothes. She was donned in a black dress that she did not own. She tried to remember, everything being a mere haze and a mess of images.

She slowly lowered herself off the high bed, stumbling slightly as her feet touched the ground. She explored the room. There were no windows at all, just an expensive-looking bed and a mahogany door.

She inched towards the door and gingerly tried to open it. However, before she could, it swung open, brushing against her face. Her violet orbs for eyes were perfect circles and her mouth was also a perfect 'O'.

Standing at the door was a lady all dressed in red. Sitting on top of her crown of caramel-brown hair was a red nurse hat and two horns that looked suspiciously real. A light brown flower was clipped to her right side of her hair. She wore a red nurse dress, the hem barely covering much of her slender thighs. However, her thighs were covered by red tights. Her feet were clad by black high-heeled shoes. She looked like the older version of Elizaveta, which was rather peculiar to Madeline.

"Dearie, why are you still here? The party is about to begin!" the brunette asked, astonished. Madeline cocked her head to the side, not having a single clue as to what the lady was talking about. The lady sighed and took Madeline's hand, leading the Canadian out to a hallway.

Madeline looked around the comfortably dark hallway. The wallpaper was a rich chocolate brown with intimidating pictures hung in golden frames. Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling barely illuminated the hallway.

The lady in red finally stopped in front of a mahogany door and knocked twice before entering. The interior took Madeline's breath away.

Right in the centre of the room stood a long table with occupied seats along the sides. However, the chair at the head of this majestic table was vacant. On the table was a variety of delicacies from all over the world, all set nicely on expensive china plates and bowls. The azure blue of the table cloth was barely visible under the plates. Everyone seated at the table their own china plate and silverware, accompanied with a crystal clear glass half-filled with a red-brown liquid, most likely wine. They all sat there silently, patiently waiting with faces void of expressions.

A massive golden chandelier hung from the ceiling was what gave the room its light. Crystals studded the whole majestic frame, sparkling and proudly reflecting all the light from the light source shrouded inside the structure. The walls were plain white and the darkness of the night could be seen through windows with golden frames and perfectly clean window frames.

The brunette, who was still holding her hand, led her to the head of the table and gently lifted her onto the chair. No sooner had Madeline sat down than the food started floating onto everyone's plate. It seemed like nothing to the other people at the table, but Madeline could not help but be amazed.

This was simply magic.

The first thing that flew to her plate was her favourite food - pancakes. Three luscious pancakes were set on her plate. A golden-yellow substance started drizzling the pancakes generously out of nowhere. When the rain of the sweet-smelling ceased, Madeline gingerly picked up a fork and a knife and cut out a little morsel of the pancake to try. Before long, the china plate set in front of her was empty and only a few drops of maple syrup remained.

She observed the other occupants of the table. To her extreme right was an albino who looked around twenty. He wore a black hood with little black horns flopping about. It zipped up near the top, but it allowed the view of his horizontally striped black and white shirt. His silver hair was mostly hidden by his hood. He had ruby-red eyes that showed most of his content eating his sausages and his baked potatoes. Unlike the others, his drink was a mug of foamy beer, which he had chugged down in seconds only to have it refilled magically. He looked like the older version of Gilbert, which was peculiar to Madeline. First an older version of Elizaveta, then an older version of Gilbert…

To her extreme left was a middle-aged man with hair that was just a few shades darker than the albino. White bear ears poked out of his neat mop of hair. His fringe was parted to his left, revealing violet eyes similar to Madeline's own. He had a black leather collar covering his neck, a pink boy tied behind it. He wore a pristine white coat, unbuttoned and revealing a dress shirt with hearts for buttons. He was not eating anything, abandoning the glass of wine and downing a clear liquid from a bottle instead. A red label on the bottle identified the drink as 'Vodka'. This man looked cute and innocent, but there was something about him, probably an evil aura surrounding him that made Madeline both intimidated yet fascinated.

A sudden shout suddenly erupted from the end of the table, grabbing all of Madeline's attention. This was followed by an all too familiar obnoxious laugh that Madeline was surprised to hear. She looked in the direction of this din.

A teenager with a permanent, blond, bed head was trying to swipe away another blond. The former had unnaturally bushy eyebrows that were very apparent despite his untidy blond bangs. His emerald orbs for eyes were sparked with annoyance. He had questionably sharp teeth. He wore a sapphire blue cape with a bow in the front and a light olive long-sleeved shirt that was striped vertically, making him look more slender than he was. A blue vest similar to the colour of the cape sat in front of the shirt. He had a blue top hat doing a terrible job at taming his hair. He looked and behaved so much like Arthur Madeline was mildly intimidated.

The person whose grasp the Arthur-look-a-like was trying to break out of looked very similar to her brother, but like the rest of the look-a-likes, he looked older. He had the same electric blue eyes, cowlick, but this 'Alfred' had a pair of thin-framed glasses framing his eyes. A white mask was shifted to the left side of his face. He wore a bright orange coat, a white dress-shirt and an unbuttoned black vest. There was a green star on the right arm of his coat. Sitting in the middle of their plates were two pairs of black gloves that most likely belonged to them.

Soon enough, the supper ended and everyone stood up to leave, the mess somehow cleared up in a blink of an eye. Madeline was lost, but thankfully the brunette from earlier had turned behind to lead her out. When Madeline's feet came into contact with the ground, she felt a little light-headed and would have fallen to the ground if not for the support from the lady.

"Are you alright?" she asked concern portrayed clearly on her face. The Canadian girl weakly nodded her head, but blacked out almost immediately.

* * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry if my description of the clothing is vague or misleading. Please refer to the Hetalia Halloween Event 2010 costumes.

Here are the replies to the Guest Reviewers!

Cecilia Well, the official human name given to America is Alfred F. Jones. Like I said, he's adopted. However, he was adopted when he was 6, so he remembers it. Hence, he keeps his birth name, Alfred F. Jones. I needed a logical explanation as to why he officially has a different surname from Canada.

Maripose Your review made my day. I jump around squealing when I'm happy. You made me do that. :) Thank you so much! *givevs digital cookie*

Thanks for reading this chapter. Oh and the first two weeks of December I may not be updating very frequently as I will be overseas. Sorry guys. m(_ _)m

Reviewers with accounts get something special PMed to them, Guest Reviewers I will do shout-outs :)

Thanks!

~SSFTT~


	4. Menace

It was so cold and still. Wherever Arthur was was cold and so silent it disturbed him. Directly above him hung a lone light bulb blinding him with light. He tried to sit up, only to have his movement restricted. He cocked his head to the right, only to see his wrists tightly strapped with leather straps. His legs were bound the same way.

With what little strength that had not abandoned him, the Briton attempted breaking free from bounds. He forced his torso to bolt up, ignoring the pain from the leather straps tugging at his wrists.

His attempts were proved futile as he flopped back down, his back falling painfully onto the wooden backboard he was strapped onto. He jerked his feet upwards too, but the attempts were just as useless.

Again and again, Arthur tried to break from his restrictions, despite the failure that kept mocking him. The more he tried, the more exasperated he became. He furrowed, a scowl deciding to grace his face.

"You're awake I see."

Arthur cocked his head to the left to see a young gentleman walk in and shut the door gently behind him. This man had thick, jet black hair, an ahoge poking out. A pair of glasses framed his deep violet eyes. They were nothing like Madison's, not sweet at all.

Madison.

Where was she?

"Who the hell are you?" Arthur demanded, flaunting the 'colourful' language that he picked up from Allistor, his brother by a decade. The stranger cackled, his laugh so inhumane that Arthur felt chills down his spine. He grit his teeth in an attempt to look fearless, but the stranger just laughed harder.

"Look at you. All scared and ready to whimper, break down and cry," the stranger mocked sympathy, giving Arthur a puppy face with fake pity. He closed in on the Briton. The latter's eyes betrayed the intimidation this black-haired new-comer could smell.

"You're a special one aren't you?" he whispered, deadly soft in Arthur's ear. The boy squirmed under the gentleman's breath coming into contact with his ear. He was so disgustingly close! What made things creepier was that his breath was cold, not warm like a human's but cold as ice.

"I don't know what the bloody hell you're talking about, but let me go. Also, release Madison at once!" Arthur retorted harshly, sounding shrill even to himself. He smirked, his violet eyes piercing into Arthur's peridot ones. Those violet eyes were portrayed darkness, darkness so menacing that it would be better off unspoken of. The gentleman stood back up, about to harshly tease Arthur when a knock on the door was heard. He turned to face the mahogany structure and smiled, his pearly whites gleaming.

"Our guest has arrived," he informed Arthur before snapping his fingers before Arthur's throat, revealing a silver mist trapped between his fingers. Arthur was about to snap again, but he realised that his voice was gone. The gentleman smirked again with pure evil before placing the mist in a jar, then walking over to get the door.

Arthur gasped at the sight of the person at the door.

It was a lady with chocolate hair tumbling down past her shoulders, a lone black flower in her hair. She had green eyes too, but like the violet-eyed gentleman, they were menacing. She wore a flowing dress in dark shades that could rival the night sky. Black high-heeled shoes graced her feet. She could've passed as Elizaveta's elder twin, only this twim was thrice her age. She looked stunning, but deadly at the same time. Beauty and fear was never a good combination.

However, her appearance was not what Arthur was concerned about.

Lying in her arms was Madison. The young Canadian was in a black dress to, but her feet were bare. Her blonde hair was let flowing loose. Her eyes were peacefully shut, blissfully unaware of the menace around her. She looked slightly older, as if she were nine years old.

She was gingerly placed on a loveseat that had materialised out of thin air. The gentleman stood beside the loveseat and closed his eyes, putting his hand over Madison's body. Slowly, ghostly apparitions started flowing out of her. She flinched, and Arthur tried to scream protests, but his voice was robbed of him. Robbed in the same manner as something that was being robbed of Madison now. But what was it?

Soon, a purple-blue aura faintly surrounded the two adult, escalating into a fierce red aura not long after. Madison was now gripping the upholster of the loveseat tightly, pain contorting her face. The two adults' lips curled up into a smile that made Arthur sick. He felt like punching them in the face.

And then he had enough.

"STOP!"

Somehow his voice had returned to him at this moment, coming back louder than ever, causing echoes around the room. A mysterious force shot the two aura-surrounded people, slamming them into the walls on either side of this bare room. They slumped to the ground, unconsious. The lady's hand was contorted at an awkward angle though.

Arthur looked at them in awe, wondering whether he was the cause of this. The jar where his 'voice',or so it seemed to be it, was shattered, its smithereens lying on the shelf. He tried speaking just to make sure. His voice sounded hoarse, but still normal nonetheless.

It was only then he realised that his wrists were in contact with the cold air. Somehow the leather straps had melted into the oblivion. He bolted up quickly and unstrapped his feet, leaping off the wooden board and towards Madison. She was still unconscious. Her face was terribly pale and perspiration stuck her bangs onto her face. The pain in her face was slowly fading away.

He slid his arm under her back to prop her up and slung her right arm over his shoulder to carry her. When he stood up, he realised that he was taller than before. He was all clad in black too. No matter, he thought as he flung the door open to escape.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry guys, I guess the chapters are getting shorter as the story goes along. I wanted to add scenes to this too, but it wouldn't link very well. I guess I'll put them in the next chapter. Sorry for not having frequent updates. Next week it'll get more hectic due to my being overseas. I'll do my best though! **

**Oh and are you able to recognise the two in the room? **

**Thanks for reading! **

**~SSFTT~**


	5. Battle

The walls were streaked grey with dirt, green with algae and webbed with cracks. They seemed to go on forever and ever. Arthur sped through them as fast as his feet allowed him to, desperately searching for an exit out of this forsaken mansion. He was still supporting Madison, who was still unconscious. Her shoes dragged on the ground, Arthur's strength depleting from running and carrying her simutaneously.

"Going somewhere, Special One?"

In a flash of black, white and silver, a sword was kissing Arthur's neck. The Briton involuntarily held his breath, not moving an inch. He tried to look back at his attacker without moving his neck, but was unable to. Cold sweat trickled down his cheek. Madison was lying on the floor, her hair strewn all over the cold and hard floor.

Footsteps.

Soon, a siloutte could be seen walking towards Arthur. As it closed in on th Briton, he could see a head of reddish-brown hair and pale skin mostly covered with dark clothing. This person's hands were hidden in his pant's pockets. He didn't stop walking until he was right in front of Arthur.

He bent down, his hazel eyes meeting emerald ones. Arthur wanted so much to look away, deterred by pride. He had to prove that he was not intimidated, but his eyes betrayed him, portraying all the fear he was attempting to hide. Those hazel eyes that seemed to be staring into his soul radiated malice. A sadistic smile was tugging at this brown-eyed teen. An awkward silence was between the three of them for a moment that seemed to last forever.

"So, this is the one that wrecked our plans?" the brown-eyed boy asked, flaunting his Italian accent. Arthur kept mum, eyes still glued on him, frozen.

"Ja. Not very heroic-looking though," affirmed a voice coming from behind him, most likely belonging to the owner of the sword resting against Arthur's neck. The boy in front of him laughed, sending chills down the Briton's spine. The former inched closer to the latter. His breath brushed against Arthur's face. Arthur would have moved back, but the icy touch of the sword convinced him against doing so.

The brown-eyed boy directed his gaze at Madison, his smile growing wider with glee. His eyes seemed to flash red for a moment, but it went back to normal so quickly that Arthur thought it was a trick of the light.

Retreating from the blonde boy, the Italian took relaxed strides to Madison. He looked down at her. Arthur flinched and tried to step forward, but a bony hand held him back, the sword pressed harder on his neck.

"Such a little angel," the brunette sighed, caressing Madison's cheek. The Canadian stirred a little, but remained fast asleep. The former chuckled darkly before stretching out his hand, letting it hover above Madison's petite body like the man in the room.

Once again, apparitions started flowing out of Madison, and just like before, a pained expression replaced her peace. The boy's skin started to colour as colour drained from Madison. Now she was squirming, sweat glistening on her forehead. She murmured something inaudible.

Arthur kicked backwards, aiming for his attacker's sensitive spot. Soon, a yelp of pain pierced the air as the sword came crashing down by Arthur's side. A string of colourful profanities followed. Arthur dashed towards the brown-eyed, aiming to punch him, but the latter was faster than him. Before Arthur knew it, he was on the ground with a sharp pain burning in his right arm, the brunette's foot keeping him in place.

"Get off me!" Arthur hollered, only getting an amused look in response. A snow-haired teen soon joined the brown-haired one. The first thing Arthur noticed about him was his piercing red eyes. They seemed unnatural. This teen had a sword in his hand, probably the same person who was holding him at sword-point. He picked Madison up single-handedly.

"So Special One—"

"Bloody hell what are you talking about?!" Arthur exclaimed, interrupting this red-eyed boy. He had no clue why they kept referring to him as 'Special One'. the interrupted teen laughed and it sounded like "Kesesesese". It was only after hearing that laugh that Arthur finally noticed the uncanny similarity between this attacker and Gilbert.

"Don't play dumb Special One. It won't save you or your friend here," he hissed, raising Madison a little higher before continuing,"Now tell us where os the Core!"

Arthur shot him a quizzical look. He hadn't the faintest idea what this 'Core' was.

"I don't know what you are referring to but even if I do, I wouldn't tell you," the Briton retorted sharply. The Gilbert look-a-like narrowed his eyes and his eyes seemed to fade nearly to white. Arthur could smell the anger and was taken aback. Nonetheless he kept his gaze and put on a brave front.

"Don't f*ck with me Kirkland. You clearly know where it is, so tell me or I will f*cking kill you," the red-eyed boy stated lacing every syllable with venom as he pointed the tip of the sword right in front of Arthur's nose. The latter gulped nervously, surprised that this stranger knew his name and frightened by the sword that could end his life.

"I don't know I swear!" Arthur responded, sounding shrill even to himself. His eyes were wide and they screamed fear. He was practically trembling, his face chalk-white. For once in his life, which was likely to end soon, he was flooded with thousands of ramifications and irrationality. His attacker's red eyes blazed with fury and Arthur thought it was the end. He closed his eyes and prepared for his last breath...

"Now hold your horses. Killing him like that would be so mundane," The brown-eyed one intervened. Arthur's eyes flew open and most likely his mouth too. A wave of momentarily relief washed over him until he continued.

"How about killing him in battle?"

Arthur's blood froze. The sadistic smile was still on the brunette's face and he sounded so cheery saying the words.

"Stand up you meddling kid," the brunette ordered, kicking Arthur in the stomach. Arthur obeyed, staggering when he got back up on his two feet. The Italian threw a sword, which had materialised out of nowhere, at Arthur, who barely caught it by the hilt. The weight of the sword caught him off guard and the blade's tip hit the ground. Arthur dragged it off the floor, the blade screechng and held him up with much difficulty with both hands. Once again he put on his brave front.

Without a warning, the snow-haired teen charged forward and aimed for Arthur's face, but somehow Arthur was quick enough to parry this move by raising his sword, resulting in a clash of blades that echoed throughout the corridors. The blade of his own sword was pressing against his sweat coated nose. His opponent pressed his sword down on Arthur's in an attempt to render him hapless and sprawled on the ground. Arthur leaned backwards. The blond haired boy mustered his energy and pushed him away, the white gaired one merely staggering backwards a little.

The red-eyed boy smirked and charged again and Arthur dodged before countering with a lunge the other barely missed. With the element of surprise on his side, Arthur immediately striked his opponent's stomach with agility he never knew he had. The blade dugged into the taller teen's flesh while the force knocked him off balance.

Arthur, taken aback by his own actions looked down at his sword, which felt heavy again. Its blade was laced crimson, blood dripping onto the ground. He looked up at the white-haired teen in horror. His ebony coloured shirt was darkened and torn. His hand was applying pressure to his newly inflicted wound, staining his fingers red. What did he just do to him? What was this power. Fear surged through him.

Murmuring expletives, the German raced forward and sliced Arthur's shoulder, causing a cut that immediately bled. Arthur winced and swung his sword to hit the other, but their swords just clashed again. Strategies floated around Arthur's mind as he contemplated the best course of action.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his opponent brandish a dagger, aiming for Arthur. Instead, Arthur kicked his hand, sending the dagger flying across the ground. The German laughed, not bothering to hide how impressed he was.

"You're a better swordsman than I'd thought you were," he complimented.

"And you're sneakier than I'd imagined!" Arthur retorted as he lifted his sword, ducking then making a blow at the German's hip, which the other countered with a slice aimed at Arthur's neck.

"CLANG!"

The sword just hit thin air, stopping inches away from Arthur's throat. An azure aura surrounded the Briton and the taller boy.

"F*ck you sneaky Magician!" he cursed. Arthur was unsure of what he had done, but he used it at his advantage kicked the other's legs, sending him sprawled on the ground at sword-point. Arthur hastily kicked the sword out of the fallen one's hand. Panting, he stared down at the teen, instincts taking over.

"Stay." He said the word loud and clear and soon, his opponent was immobilised on the ground. Drenched with sweat, Arthur dropped his sword and looked to Madison, who was staring at him in horror mixed with astonishment.

He smiled weakly before his eyelids began to feel heavy as dark spots clouded his vision. Light-headed, the Briton began swooning and felt weak. Falling to the ground in exhaustion, he breathed Madison's name as he eyes closed, hearing one last thing.

"Arthur!"

* * *

A/N: You guys must be thinking: FINALLY! Yes, this chapter with authorly-love from your crap updator! I'm sorry this took so long, I was on holiday like I've said before.

I wrote this chapter and the chapter after that on a plane, on iPad notes, so I'm REALLY SORRY FOR TYPOS. I'm transferring this to MS Word for checking as soon as possible. Chapter 6 will be up after that.

Thank you for reading/reviewing/following/favouriting guys! Knowing people read this and appreciate it motivated me to keep writing...I wanted to delete this but you guys kept me going. *hands out cupcakes* LOVE YOU GUYS IN AN AUTHOR-READER WAY! 3

(You guys must think I'm a creep now : )

Thank you for reading!

~SSFTT~


	6. Alone

"Arthur!"

Madison made a beeline for Arthur, who was lying unconscious on the floor after a heated dance of swords with a pale-haired yet familiar stranger, in which Arthur won. His opponent seemed to have vanished into thin air. Both parties moved with such agility that they were a blur of black, white, silver and golden yellow.

Lifting Arthur up gingerly, Madison lay him in her arms, rocking him gently and calling his name in hopes that he would regain consciousness. His face was awfully pale and his skin felt unnaturally cold. Streaks of crimson lined his forearm, a patch of clothing covering his shoulder torn and and darkened by a sticky and suspicious red liquid.

After ten minutes, Arthur's eyes fluttered open. Madison gasped at the sight of the changes.

The tips of his hair were turning red and his eyes were darkening into a dull, stormy green. Black horns slowly crept out and revealed themselves between tufts of Arthur's currently red hair. Madison felt something muscular fight its way out of Arthur's back. They soon emerged from her arms as ebony wings that were magnificent, yet frightening as they were appearing out of Arthur.

"Madison? You alright?" Arthur sat up immediately, enquiring her status. The Canadian nodded slightly still staring at Arthur's new form. He furrowed his eyebrows which were still bushy beyond measure and scrutinised on her face.

Madison saw his mouth move, but the words were left unheard. Now poking out behind Arthur was a forked tail, also black. He looked like a red-headed devil.

"Arthur...look at yourself..." That was the first thing Madison managed to say after her voice had abandoned her, returning after some recovery from the initial shock. Arthur looked at her, his expression portraying the words he wasn't saying : Are you out of your mind? I'm fine, what could be wrong?

Everything, Madison thought.

Arthur looked around before noticing a mirror askew on the wall opposite him. He stood up and walked towards it. Madison trailed closely behind. He stood in front of the mirror and gasped. Madison peered from behind his back, tip-toeing due to the height difference. Her jaw dropped, her mouth a perfect 'O'.

In the mirror, there was no reflection.

"W-What? I'm invisible?!" Arthur exclaimed. Madison shook her head

"No...erm..."

"Are you able to describe my appearance?"

"Well..." Madison contemplated for a moment before continuing, "erm, red hair, black horns, dark green eyes, black wings and a forked tail."

Arthur remained silent for a moment, eyes closed and imagining his new look. When he opened his dark green eyes he was trembling slightly, his lips a tight line. His face was chalk-white. He backed away from Madison. Troubled, she walked towards him.

"G-Go away!" he croaked, swinging his hand in a semi-circle in front of him. Madison's eyes widened. Most of the time Arthur was so calm, collected. Someone she could rely on in times of doubt. But now, he was a ghost of that. It was unnerving seeing such a fragile version of him. She stopped in her tracks and looked at him.

"Arthur stop," she said in a firm, yet gentle tone, "It's okay you're not a monster—"

"I AM!" he interrupted hysterically, "G-Go away Madison. I don't want to hurt you. I-I don't know what's happening to me, and I'm too afraid to find out." He ended the last sentence slightly above a whisper, grasping his forearm tightly with his fingers, nails digging into his skin. He then turned back and ran, but not before Madison saw tears in his eyes.

"Arthur!" She shouted, breaking into a run. Arthur was racing at top speed, fading into the darkness. Soon he was but a small speck of amber and gone, leaving Madison alone and panting, sweat glistening on her forehead.

She gave herself a moment to catch her breath. The corridor was so silent and dark. It seemed as if everything was given the ability to swallow her whole and crush her. All because her pillar of strength was gone. She felt stupid for being so weak, but she couldn't find the courage to be brave. Not without Arthur.

Arthur.

Where was he now? Is he going to be okay? Will this new found power destroy him? Madison couldn't help but let these thoughts occupy her mind, allowing herself to be irrational.

Drip.

Madison shrieked and jumped at the sudden sound, only to realise it was just water dripping onto the floor. At this point, she broke down in tears, wishing Arthur hadn't left, yet hating him for being so selfish. She curled herself into a small ball and sat down on the cool cement floor. The corridor was dirt compared to the corridor she had walked through with that brunette. Maybe it's a dream, that banquet, maybe nothing else is real. Madison wanted to scream out her sorrows, but would not mean a thing.

After all, she was alone.

Sick of crying, she stood up and brushed dirt off her dress, which was still the same one she had worn during the banquet. She frowned as the thought of how this might be real settled in.

She kept walking along the corridor, wandering aimlessly, losing reason to go on with every step. Multiple times she would glance around in fear, afraid of an ambush. Also, to search for Arthur, who was nowhere to be found. After what seemed like a painful eternity, Madison was exhausted. The corridors seemed to be repeated; pipes all broken in the same places, the same cracks, the same patch of algae. And the same loneliness she felt, the same fear. Nonetheless, she kept going on. For her own sake, and for Arthur's. She would find a way out for the both of them.

Then, a peculiar thing happened.

Before her was the same dark corridor with an end she could not see, all melted into the darkness, but in a blink, it was gone. A door was right in front of her face, brushing against her nose. She took a step back, surprised by its sudden appearance.

It was bright scarlet — a very happy colour in spite of the grimness of this place. The door knob was polished, reflecting the dim light. Madison stared at it for a while, wondering whether she should open it.

Heck just do it, she thought.

...where did that word come from.

Troubled by her suddenly potty mouth, she turned the doorknob and entered. As the door closed behind her, every single trace of its existence was wiped away.

* * *

A/N: Talk about early updates.

potatogravy ja, that is the awesome Gilbert fighting the awesomer Arthur.

Well I used Sweet Devil Arthur. Sorry this chapter is a little short ._. I'm starting work on the next chapter ASAP.

By the way, I might start a blog where I will post previews or my story ideas because I want to post stuff here one at a time. You guys can sort of tell me which story you want me to complete first and majority wins.

Thanks for reading/reviewing/following/favouriting!

~SSFTT~


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